Cannondale Supersix Sizing Nightmare!

ro63rt

I'm sure people will have read hundreds of posts like this!!

Currently I'm riding a Specialized Allez Sport 2012/2013 54cm, which I love & fits me great.

However I'm now wanting a nice carbon bike as I'm doing a load more miles. I've narrowed it down to the Supersix Evo Ultegra Di2. Trouble is looking at geometry the 54cm Specialized & 54cm Cannondale are virtually identical. I tried a 54cm in the LBS & for some reason just didn't feel right. There is no Cannondale shop seem to stock a 52cm for me to try. When I say to the shops & this has been numerous ones, 'there's no way I'm shelling out £3000 without sitting on both a 52 & 54cm bike' they look at me as if I have ten heads!

Can anyone help me with advice please? Cannondale sizing guide says either, right inbetween. I'm 5'7", inside leg of approx 29/30".

Thanks in advance, a frustrated roadie!

Pokerface

Were they both set up the same? Same length stem? Same saddle position fore-aft? Same saddle? Same saddle to handlebar drop, etc?

If the geometries are the same, then it *should be a matter of setting up all the other parts identically to get the same position.

skyeflyguy

Like me you fall between the recommended sizing. I'm an inch taller than you, and and an inch longer in the leg.
I went for a 54 as recommended, and I'm happy with it now, but I did spend a long time wondering if I would have been better with a 52.
Like you say, definitely take the time and effort to try a 52 out before you splash the cash. It will save you all the sleepless nights.

paulmon

Try and find someone with a CAAD as I think the Geo on the CAAD and the Supersix are the same. FYI, I'm 172cm with a 30/31 inside leg and ride a 52cm CAAD10. I found the 54cm too much of stretch.

P

DeVlaeminck

The Cannondale is slightly lower and slightly shorter in a 54 so as you say very close in size. The cannondale didn't have wider bars did it - I find that makes a noticeable difference to how a bike feels when you first sit on it - the 52 Cnnondale is quite a bit lower at the front with the same reach but if you bring the bars up that will shorten the reach noticeably. Must admit at your height a 54 Specialized seems big but if it suits you it suits you.

chemicalviking

PaulMon wrote:

Try and find someone with a CAAD as I think the Geo on the CAAD and the Supersix are the same. FYI, I'm 172cm with a 30/31 inside leg and ride a 52cm CAAD10. I found the 54cm too much of stretch.

P

I'm 5ft 10 and riding a 2015 CAAD8 fits perfect

londoncommuter

I think the CAAD is slightly different geometry so double check that if you're using a test ride of one of those to help your decision.

I'm 5'8'' and couldn't decide between a 52 or 54 and in the end gave up. The horizontal top tube means if you err on the larger side you may have a tiny bit of seat tube showing. The 52cm is very low though and I'd have had to use spacers.

Probably doesn't help but I started this debate earlier:

viewtopic.php?f=40042&t=12978707&p=19000734&hilit=71cm#p19000734

djhermer

Go for a 52, no question. I'm 5'8" with a 29" inseam. I was sold a 54 Supersix EVO against my better judgement. It was too big and i sold it in the Summer. They are a very traditional geo with hoizontal tt. A 52 will fit you perfectly. To add grist to the mill, i bought a CAAD8 recently second hand as a winter bike. It was a 54 and whilst i knew it would be too big, it's a winter hack and it was cheap. I've ridden it four times - it's too big! I can live with it, but not for your main, best bike. From a posing perspective, you'll have little seatpost showing on the 54...

ben-----

I'm 5'7", got a Supersix 2013 54cm at the end of last year and it seems absolutely fine to me -- not Evo, not sure if that makes any/much difference. There's about 10 / 11 cm of seat post showing. Did I get too big a bike?!

edit: according to this http://www.evanscycles.com/product_docu ... -chart.pdf for a 5'7" rider 54cm is the one, oh accept it's on the cusp. Hmm, 52 or 54. Right, I see.

Grill

Go for the 52 unless you want it to appear as if you've stolen your big sister's bike.

djhermer

Grill wrote:

Go for the 52 unless you want it to appear as if you've stolen your big sister's bike.

Which is exactly how my Caad8 looks. About 100mm of seatpost. Just about fit a light to it,

letap73

I understand your predicament, with this in mind - have you considered specialized tarmac di2 model/

Bobbinogs

Yepp, I think you may have got used to riding a bike a little too big! I ride an Allez 54 and I am 5'10. Have you adapted it in some way to make it fit, like shorten the stem (or perhaps raise the angle), or moved the saddle forward to the limit?

Might be worth seeing if a store that does test rides can help. I know Leisure Lakes stock Cannondale and do some test rides. Then again, riding a bike around the block is a bit different to riding it on a hundred miler.

Ultimately, bike fit is often about what feels right and that can vary a lot between bikes and with personal preference.

How Far is too Far

I am 5'11" and ride a 56cm Supersix, i have had a 54Cm Supersix as well and I found that ok at 5'11" so I would say you are better off with a 52cm.

skyblue337

CAAD10s and Supersix Evos do have the same geo

secretsam

djhermer wrote:

Go for a 52, no question. I'm 5'8" with a 29" inseam. I was sold a 54 Supersix EVO against my better judgement. It was too big and i sold it in the Summer. They are a very traditional geo with hoizontal tt. A 52 will fit you perfectly. To add grist to the mill, i bought a CAAD8 recently second hand as a winter bike. It was a 54 and whilst i knew it would be too big, it's a winter hack and it was cheap. I've ridden it four times - it's too big! I can live with it, but not for your main, best bike. From a posing perspective, you'll have little seatpost showing on the 54...

+1 - try the smaller size, I'm similar dimensions and my 54 CAAD8 was too big, sold it as I only had a tiny amount of seat pin showing. Was told by the same shop I bought it from (different guy) that he's have said a 52 for me.

I now ride a "small" (54) Cinelli - but it's a compact frame, which makes a big difference

norvernrob

Get a 52, your inside leg is too short for a 54 as others have said. It's far easier to make a smaller frame fit properly than it is a bigger one.

evs78

If back up the advice above and would suggest a 52cm. I'm just over 5'9" and ride a supersix 54cm frame.

One thing to consider is the stock cannondale bars (mine had the C2) which have a long reach, around 130mm. I ended up swapping them for a set of fizik cyrano's which are a much shorter reach - around 80mm. Makes a big difference without having to shorten the stem.

Great bike though so make sure you get it right.

ro63rt

Thanks for all the replies, much appreciated!!!! It's pointing towards the 52cm, which was my gut instinct from what I've picked up just scouring forums.

My 54cm Allez is perfect, love the more racey position, looked at the Spesh Tarmac Di2, it's £5500 this year & comes with discs.

Pokerface

ro63rt wrote:

Thanks for all the replies, much appreciated!!!! It's pointing towards the 52cm, which was my gut instinct from what I've picked up just scouring forums.

My 54cm Allez is perfect, love the more racey position, looked at the Spesh Tarmac Di2, it's £5500 this year & comes with discs.

FWIW, you can get the non-disc model as well. I have the new Tarmac, built up with Di2 (self-build) and it's amazing. If you want to be tempted: viewtopic.php?f=40044&t=12975448

Next week I'm picking up on old SL4 and will rebuild it to match the new Tarmac (more or less) as a training bike.

letap73

As above - should have put this in my previous post:

http://www.tredz.co.uk/.Specialized-Tar ... tAod8AEABQ